Hero’s Journey

For six months, we’ve been preparing for this nine-day journey and now that it’s finished, what remains apart from great photos and the warmth of camaraderie? It stoked the fire in two organizers’ hearts so watch out for more exciting things to come!

The words to put this project in blog perspective have all but left me so again, excuse the short-cut to pictures. Just to summarize, all the headache, minute by minute troubleshooting in the early days struggling with botched accommodation and dates, the end result of meeting and exceeding our Chinese guests’ expectations, of purely enjoying sunsets and sand under your feet, of seeing the joy in people’s faces, of congratulatory pats in the back, of simply birthing a project to realization — all the minor mess-ups were worth every over-stressed fiber and unravelled temper. Parents had a grand time empowered to enjoy touring partially hands-free since four facilitators took care of eleven rowdy kids ages 7 to 10 plus a 4-year old trouble-maker. The children had an even grander time playing almost non-stop with their peers plus a gang of adults who retained the best of their inner Peter Pans without losing the sense of responsibility that comes with maturity.

Shell Residences near MOA and Club Balai Isabel, Talisay

Taal Lake and Volcano and the best meal ever at Milan’s Restaurant in Talisay

At home with each other

Team building at Camp Benjamin

Highly photogenic Hacienda Isabella

A slice of paradise found at Canyon Cove, Nasugbu

Lazer Tag!

Light and shadow

Sonya’s Garden: walang kupas sa Tagaytay

Back in Manila: Mind Museum at BGC, robotics at iCreate Cafe, lounging by the playground

And as Mike himself said it best when asked what his favorite is from his first ever trip to the Philippine, he answered definitively: the jiaolian which in English means the coaches/counselors/facilitators who stuck by them through the bus rides and multiple location changes. This journey wouldn’t have been possible without the intrepid team from California Summer Camps. Thank you so much Camile, Marc, TJ and Dan! Till the next camp!